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Chapter 6
- Breaking News -

Dedicated to @chaoticteardrops

-Clover-

If I wasn't as sick as I was, I probably would've been up all night due to my paranoia. The thought of being killed whenever Demarco decides that he didn't want me around anymore was the very last thing on my mind while trying to sleep, and the very first thing on my mind when morning came.

Once we walked through the door, the guys fell silent from their current conversation to look at us, or more specifically me.

I'm sure I looked a hot mess, and my deflated balloon of confidence from earlier that nights was completely flattened.

Not only hadn't I showered for the past 24 hours, I was also wearing the same clothes. My hair was a long mess of sweaty, greasy curls, my feet were disgustingly dirty due to walking around like a cave-women. I didn't even want to attempt to smell my own breathe for the fear of what it would smell like, and my face was red and swollen from crying so much.

I woke up with a headache like no other, worse then yesterday's state. I had the feeling of a battery that was completely drained, my nose was runny and every muscle in my body ached.

I guess my eventful day yesterday, took more out of me then I thought. Instead resting, like any normal sick person would do, I was on a mission to save my life but that quickly came to an end.

I sat up in bed and watched the sun rising in the distance. Now that it was not as dark out, I could properly observe my surroundings.

As I guessed and from what I was able to odserve from last night, the mini mansion was indeed isolated. Its location was deep within the forest, a place completely unfamilar. From what I could tell, my room was facing the back of the house, which was a rather large clearing that served as a backyard. I attempted to gaze beyond the tree lining that served as a boarder between the backyard and forest but could not see much.

I switched my attention to the room, that had became my own within the past 24 hours. Everything was the same as I left it  last night except for the missing bowl of soup and crackers that I refused to eat.

I knew Demarco would kill me eventually, I just much rather die quickly with little to no pain. I didn't want to be poisoned little by little everyday.

In the place of the missing food was a TV remote that was placed on the nightstand where my untouched soup was from the night before.

I wasn't sure who came in my room while I was sleeping and took the food but I was glad they did. The last thing I wanted was food sitting out all night to attract unwanted pest.

With one flick of the power button, the flat screen came to life. It was on the news channel, the same news channel that I'd watch at the dinner in early morning like this. On the bottom of the screen, the time was 5:34am.

The news anchor was explaining a story about a fire in the small town of Eastchester, that started around 2:20am this morning.

"The local fire department is still investigating to solve how the fire was started. But at this time it is unknown if this was intentional or accidental. Luckily, of the five story apartment building, no one was reported as dead, but eleven people did suffer from minor injuries. Heidi Hargrieve is on the screen with more".

The TV screen switched to the live footage with a young lady standing on what look to be a familiar road.

Just like every morning that I'd watch the News on the diners TV screen, the anchor switched the camera to one of the live News crews.  The live news anchor, Heidi Hargrieve, was the image of on camera beauty.  Her toasty caremel complexion, made great contrast to her pearly white teeth, her long kinky brown hair was sleeked back into a low ponytail. She wore a fitted vibrant blue, pencil shirt with a long sleeved, collared, button up dress shirt to complete her look. Her nails, were freshly manicured as she held the News 7 microphone, and starred into the camera with a neutral expression, waiting for her cue.

With a slight delay, she begun speaking.

"Thank you, Erick. As you can see, firefighters are working to extinguish what's left of this fire. I have spoken to a couple of bystanders that also are residents of Eastchester and many aren't surprised by the events on this early morning. Many suspect that the fire was most likely accidental, due to the production of illegal substances, that's flown underneath police radar for months. Although many have their suspicions, we will not have a definite answer until our local fire marshal investigates. We'll keep you all updated on this story here on the Channel 7 News. Back to you, Erick".

Before the camera could switch back to the studio, the camera man showed clips of the building burning down.

Running in and out of MY old apartment building were dozens of firefighters and EMTs, trying to get everyone to safety.

What were the odds?

This couldn't have been a coincidence.

First murder, then attempitive murder, then the kidnapping followed by blackmail, and now arson.  What were these boys not capable of?

There was a light knock on the door before there was gingling of keys and the sound of the door being unlocked. To my surprise and relief it was not Demarco, it was one of his other friends.

He was the shyest of them all, the one that usual didn't say much or didn't speak at all unless the conversation applied to him or he was being spoken too. He was young, probably around my age, or a little older. He had dark green eyes, and a fresh ceasear cut hair style, the stubble on his checks and chin created a shadow on his face which looked to be what aged him more.

He poked his head into the room, being surprised that I was up so early he gave me a funny look before pushing the door open and letting himself in, but only stopped once both feet were in the room.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I thought of answering back sarcastically, after all he let himself before asking if he could come in, so I wouldn't be wrong if I pointed out the odvious. I did the next best thing, I shrugged my shoulders, not nessicarily giving him and yes or no but letting him describe.

He gave me a a quick smile, letting himself in, taking a seat in the chair that was in the corner by the window. He didn't fail to notice the fire that was on the News.

"The bright side to this is, at least you weren't caught in the fire, right?"

I stared at him as if he were crazy. "You guys burned down an entire apartment building filled with families that were lucky enough to get out with their lives and now are homeless".

It was his turn to look at me as if I were crazy.

"Call me crazy, but I don't value my life above others" I stated.

As if a light bulb went off in his head, he put two and two together. "You think we were responsible for your apartment building burning down?" he asked, looking to me slightly upset. "Look, I know you have the wrong impression of us, but we aren't ruthless. We don't cause harm to innocent people".

"Okay" I said, not believing him at all, and shuffling off the bed and aiming for the door that he had left a crack open.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, where are you going?" he asked, quickly getting up from his seat to beat me to the door.

I frown at him and sighed. I know I was being forced here against my will and blackmailed into not trying to escape but I felt like an animal trapped in the room until someone let me out for a short while, just to be returned and left inside for the night.

I ranked my brain until I could remember his name. "Oscar".

"You know my name?" he asked, once again being surprised by me.

"Yeah, I kind of remember all of your names somewhat from the night you guys tried to...." I didn't have to finish my sentence for him to know what I was talking about. "Anyways, I'm not trying to leave or escape, I just really need to pee".

"Oh okay, the bathroom is this way".

And without hesitation or any farther questions asked, Oscar walked ahead of me, leading me to what I assumed was the bathroom. Once I was in the bathroom, I locked the door as a safety precaution, knowing Oscar was right on the other side waiting for me to finish doing my business.

I quickly peed, and while I had the chance, took it upon myself to rudely go threw the draws and medicine cabinet until I found an open tube of toothpaste and a pack of extra, untouched toothbrushes.

I took my time brushing my teeth, then used the liquid hand soap that was on the side of the sink to wash my face. My skin can suffer later, it really needed to be washed.

I really wanted to shower next, but there was no clean towels in sight and all my stuff was still packed in the suitcases in my room.

Like expected, Oscar was waiting patiently outside the bathroom door. "Would you like something to eat?"

I smiled more to myself, "you read my mind". The last thing I physically ate was that blueberry muffin that I dropped in the forest the day before yesterday.

The boys tried getting me to eat yesterday. Brought soup and crackers up to my room, with a bottle of water but I refused to touch any of it. The last thing I wanted was to be poisoned.

Oscar, much to my surprised was a gentleman and when he seen me having difficulties walking downstairs, he slowed down and offered his hand for assistance.

I ignored his hand, and instead used the railing but he didn't take offense to my geaster and only stayed one step ahead of me.

"Demarco warmed up some soup for you before he headed out" Oscar said once we arrived in the kitchen. He guided me to the islands chairs and walked around the counter to dig threw the cabinets and find a bowl.

It was music to my ears to hear that Demarco wasn't home, meaning it was just Oscar and I in the house as far as I knew. But then again it was most likely around six in the morning...why were these boys up so early.

The second he mentioned that Demarco made the soup, my appetite was easily gone. "I don't want soup" I objected as he pour it in the bowl and slide the bowl towards me with the soup already inside.

"You don't like soup?"

"I don't want soup made by Demarco, what if he poisoned it?" I admitted.

Oscar laughed, "I watched him make the soup, he didn't poison it. He actually ate some himself before heading out".

As if that would make me feel better, Oscar pushed the grey bowl closer to me, that consisted of what looked like chicken noodle soup.

I wasn't buying his story, just like how I didn't believe anything that these boys told me. But if I had to pick and choose...Oscar was the most likely the most trustworthy one out of them all.

My mind drifted back to the night in the forest, how he tried reasoning with Demarco when it came to the man in the woods. Oscars weakness was his conscious, but I found it very attractive.

It proved that he had a brain of his own and didn't just take orders without questioning them first.

"Clover" he repeated for the second time snapping me out of my daydream. "You feeling okay?" he questioned leaning forwards to feel the top of my forehead.

I didn't feel good at all in fact, I felt drained and I knew it was because I needed to eat but kept refusing. "I'm fine, but I'm not comfortable eating this soup" I told him pushing the bowl away from myself.

The chicken noodle soup smelt amazing, my stomach growled vigorously but I couldn't bring myself to even touch the spoon.

Oscar nodded his head, and turned his back to me, going through the cabinets again and pulling out another bowl and spoon. He filled the bowl to the brim with the chicken noodle soup and placed it next to me.

Walking around he took the seat next to me at the counter. He took a spoonful of my soup and ate that spoonful before repeating the action to his own bowl.

"If it's poisoned, then I'll die with you" he joked, taking another spoonful of his own.

I smiled, he wanted to prove that the food wasn't tampered with and he did so by being the test dummy.

He watched as I nervously picked up my own spoon and brought the hot substance to my lips. In one gulp, the first spoonful was gone and my taste buds were activated.

"You feel poisoned yet?" Oscar teases me, continuing eating his own bowl of chicken noodle soup.

Unconsciously I let out a light laugh. "Thanks you being the test dummy" I said nudging his shoulder.

"Anytime, Lucky Charm".

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After breakfast, Oscar was able to help me find a clean towel and soap so that I could take a proper shower.

I showered for what felt like forever, and as I showered the hot water and steam helped to clear my sinuses.

Sadly for my hair, due to my limited amount of supplies, I used a bar of soap to wash the dirt and sweat out.

I changed into basketball shorts that I stole from my brother, Drew, a couple of years ago and threw on a sports bra and long sleeved sweater.

After my shower however, as soon as I left the hot sauna like bathroom, I immediately became extremely tired and cold so Oscar escorted me back to my bedroom.

I didn't want to fall asleep, mostly because Oscar was sitting in the room watching TV. Even though I somewhat trusted him, I wasn't completely dumb to let my entire guard down with him and carelessly fall asleep.

Tiredness won over and I ended up napping for about two hours and woke up around 11am. Oscar was gone, but his place was not left vacant.

Sitting in the chair in the corner of my room was the blue eyed, curly hair guy who I remembered as Patrick and the brother of the leader himself, Denziel.

"Lucky charm, you're up!" Patrick said a little too loudly for my eardrums upon waking up.

"Yeah I'm up. Where's Oscar?" I questioned looking around the room as if he'd appear. He was in a way, my favorite of them all.

"Oscar had to get to class, so we're on babysitting duty" Denziel said taking the liberty to plop down on the edge of the bed. He made himself too comfortable for my liking, laying at the foot of the mattress, with his right arm supporting his head as he faced me. "If that's okay with you, I'd like to finish our conversation from yesterday before you rudely hung the phone up on me".

Patrick burst out, hysterically laughing, and I felt like diving my face into on of the pillows as I remember every word I said to Denziel on the phone.

For the recorded I thought I was home free. If I knew, I'd be recaptured and blackmailed into staying here I would've never said all those things.

"I don't remember what conversation you're talking about" I lied, hoping he'd just drop it all together and move on from it, but I should've know better.

Denziel shot me smirk. "So let me remind you where our conversation left off. The last thing you said was 'Fuck you'".

There goes my hopes for an easy day.

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So this chapter was more so to get to know the boys and most of their personalities according to Clovers POV. Later on, (more like soon), Clover POV will eventually cover her impression of Cleon and Jordan.

Also, I haven't done dedications in a long time and I think I'm going to bring it back now that I have a clear idea of where I want to start and finish AMI.
So starting, with this chapter I'm dedicating/ shouting out @chaoticteardrops for leaving a motivational comment and been here for the up/downs of AMI from the start. THANK YOU!

So share this story with friends that you think may enjoy it! Vote if you like these chapters. And lastly, comment, not only to leave some positive feedback, but also for a chance to get a shoutout on the next chapter!

K_26ss